It's no secret that the Bucks have a deep roster, especially at the shooting guard position, after their busy offseason. For second-year player Kam Jones, that distinction holds both advantages and disadvantages: plenty of potential mentors to study, but also a lot of competition to get any meaningful minutes. Jones will have his work cut out for him next season as he tries to develop enough to warrant some playing time.
Kam Jones has the perfect chance to develop
Even if Jones doesn't see the court much right away, he'll still be able to grow behind the scenes. On the Bucks, he can turn to multiple other guards, either guys that have been in starring roles or career role players, for advice and tutelage. Jones himself will probably never be a primary option on an NBA team, but he'll get the opportunity to see what players have done to stick around.
Having a locker room full of talented guards, whether it's guys with more experience or exciting young rookies, will also give Jones more competition to level up his own game. From previous media appearances, it's clear that he values his defensive work highly and takes pride on that end. Training camp will have no shortage of talented guards to push his defense to its limits.
If Jones approaches next season with the right mentality, he could eventually grow into a worthwhile player and earn more opportunities than he did with the Pacers last season. The Bucks definitely have more depth in the backcourt, especially considering Indiana's injuries, but that's not necessarily a negative for Jones.
Jones will struggle to find real playing time
In the 2025-26 season, Jones appeared in 37 games for the Pacers (including 7 starts) and averaged about 17 minutes per game. He was also coming off a back injury that derailed the start of his season. Next season, he should have a healthier start to his campaign and a fresh new slate.
But nothing is guaranteed for Jones in his new home and he needs to accept that backcourt minutes will be hard to come by. Whether the Bucks play him at point guard or shooting guard, he will have at least 3 established players in front of him on the depth chart. Even with injuries or foul trouble, Jones might not see the floor for more than a few throwaway minutes before he proves himself.
However, the right attitude can help Jones get far. His new head coach Taylor Jenkins is known for developing young talent and has a keen eye for defense. If Jones can first get on the floor by proving himself on that end, he'll have more opportunity to prove himself offensively and earn even more minutes.
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